Railroad tie



Feb. 11, 1930. B CQX 1,747,054

RAILROAD TIE Filed May 21, 1929 INVENTOIR WITNESSES G.B.Cox MW 1 ATTORNEYS YWKW v Patented Feb. 11, 1930 UNITED STATES GEORGE B. COX, OF WBAY, COLORADO RAILROAD TIE Application filed. May 21, 1929. Serial No. 364,841.

This invention relates generally to railroad ties, and more particularly to metal railroad ties, the same being in the nature of an improvement upon my prior United States Letters Patent No. 1,529,346 and No. 1,541,688, granted respectively March 10, 1925, and June 9, 1925.

The present invention aims as an object to further improve the structure of said prior patents by reducing to a minimum the amount of material required for maximum strength.

The invention furthermore comprehends an improvement over the prior patents above referred to, by providing a tie structure in which both elements or sections are identical whereby any two sections may be properly mated, thus eliminating the number of operations required for the production of a complete tie and thereby effecting an economy in 20 the time and labor incident to their manufacture.

lVith the above recited and other objects in view, reference is had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in

which there is exhibited one example or embodiment of the invention, while the claims define the actual scope of the same.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of a tie con- 30 structed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view therethrough.

Figure 3 is a top plan view.

Figure 4 is a perespective view of one of the tie sections.

Figure 5 is a similar view of the other tie section.

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional view taken approximately on the line indicated at f 6-6 in Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings by characters of reference, the tie includes a pair of identical sections designated generally by the reference characters A and B, each of which is 9 preferably formed from a piece of sheet metal. Each section includes an upper horizontal wall 10 formed at one edge with a vertical depending wall 11, the said horizontal and vertical walls extending throughout the M length of said sections. second vertical wall 12 depends from the opposite side edge of the horizontal wall 10 of each section adwall 12 of each section is likewise provided Y with a horizontal flange 14, the purpose of which flanges is to provide a footing area to support the tie structure properly with respect to the ballast of the roadway. Adjacent the inner end of the upper wall 10, each section is provided with a depending vertical wall portion 15 and between the wall portion 15 and vertical wall 12, the upper horizontal wall 10 of each section is cut away longitudinally as at 16 for approximately half of its 1 width. Adjacent the outer end of each section, recessed portions 17 are provided which define relatively low upstanding webs 18 and overhanging inwardly projecting rail base flange engaging tongues 19 at the outer end of said recessed portions. The inner ends 20 of said recessed portions are cut away at an inclination which is angled inwardly and upwardly. At the inner end, the vertical wall 11 of each section is provided with a notch 22 conforming substantially to the size and configuration of one side of a rail base flange and defining a supporting ledge 23 for the same. The inner end of the depending vertical wall portion 15 of each section is cut away as at 24 to accommodate approximately onehalf of a rail base flange. This construction forms at the inner end of each section an over hanging rail base flange engaging tongue 25 and, as illustrated. the tongue 25 of one section is designed to cooperate with the-tongue 19 of the other section when the sections A and B are properly associated to afford means for embracingly clamping the base flanges of a pair-of rails to be supported by the tie.

In laying the track, the sections A and B are shifted relatively outward away from each other so that the overhanging tongues 19 and'25 are s aced apart a sufiicient distance to. permit t e base flangeaof the rails to enter the recesses 17. The outer side portion of each rail base flange is then engaged underneath the overhanging tongue 19 Where said base flanges rest upon the upstanding webs 18. The sections A and B are then relatively shifted inward toward each other so that the tongues 25 are projected over the inner side portions of the rail base flanges, the notches 22 engaging thereabout and the cut-away portions 23 also engaging therewith, with the base additionally supported by the webs 23. In this position, the inner ends of the respective sections are telescopically received within the outer ends of the sections, as clearly illustrated.

In order to provide means for positively retaining the sections A and B in clamping relation to the rails, the vertical walls 11 and 12 are provided with registrable apertures 26 adapted to receive therethrough wedge keys 27.

From the foregoing, it will thus be seen that an improved tie structure has been devised Which aflords maximum strength while requiring a minimum of material and effect ing a saving of both time and labor in the production of the tie.

What is claimed is:

1. A rail tie comprising a pair of identically constructed reversely arranged mating sections, each of said sections formed adjacent the outer end with transversely spaced rail base supporting webs and adjacent the inner end with a single rail base supporting web and complementary tongues at the respective ends of the sections adapted to clampingly engage over the rail base flanges.

2. A rail tie comprising a pair of identically constructed reversely arranged mating sections, each of said sections formed adjacent the outer end with transversely spaced rail base supporting webs and adjacent the inner end with a single rail base supporting web, complementary tongues at the respective ends of the sections adapted to clampingly engage over the rail base flanges and means transversely engageable through said sections for retaining the same in mated relation.

3. A rail tie comprising a pair of identically constructed reversely arranged mating sections, each of said sections formed adjacent the outer end with transversely spaced rail base supporting webs and adjacent the inner end with a single rail base supporting web and complementary tongues at the respective ends of the sections adapted to clampingly engage over the rail base flanges, the said sections each having an outer end portion of inverted substantially U-shaped formation and the remaining portion of each section being of angle formation combining when the sections are mated to provide an inverted substantially U-shaped structure.

4. A rail tie comprising a pair of identically constructed reversely arranged mating sections, each of said sections formed adjacent the outer end with transversely spaced rail base supporting webs and adjacent the inner end with a single rail base supporting web and complementary tongues at the respective ends of the sections adapted to clampingly engage over the rail base flanges, the said sections each having an outer end portion of inverted substantially U-shaped formation and the remaining portion of each section being of angle formation combining when the sections are mated to provide an inverted substantially U-shaped structure, the inner ends of said sections adapted to telescopically fit the outer ends thereof.

5. A rail tie comprising a pair of identically constructed reversely arranged mating sections, each of said sections formed adjacent the outer end with transversely spaced rail base supporting Webs and adjacent the inner end with a single rail base supporting web, complementary tongues at the respective ends of the sections adapted to clampingly engage over the rail base flanges, the said sections each having an outer end portion of inverted substantially U-shaped formation and the remaining portion of each section being of angle formation combining when the sections are mated to provide an inverted substantially U-shaped structure, the inner ends of said sections adapted to telescopically fit the outer ends thereof and means transversely engageable through said telescopic portions for retaining the sections in mated relation.

6. A rail tie comprising a pair of identical sections, each of which is provided with an outer end portion of inverted U-shaped formation including an upper horizontal wall, vertically depending side walls and an outwardly extending flange at the lower end of each side wall, one of said side walls and approximately one-half of the width of the upper wall extending throughout the length of each section, a notched portion at the inner end of and a recessed portion adjacent the outer end of each section constituting rail base embracing and clamping means adapted upon relative inward shifting movementof the sections, to clamp the base flanges of the rails and adapted upon relative outward shifting movement of said sections, to release the same.

GEORGE B. COX. 

